The Village Apothecary

The Village Apothecary The Village Apothecary is a home-based, one-woman herbal care business in Portland, Oregon. Learn more at www.theevillageapothecary.com

Herbalist and retired midwife Katrina Bubas Stevens carefully crafts each product in small batches.

New product dropping next week!
12/20/2024

New product dropping next week!

The beauty of the waxing moon after a beautiful healing session in το Άδυτο / the Sanctuary. Did you know I provide iatr...
12/08/2024

The beauty of the waxing moon after a beautiful healing session in το Άδυτο / the Sanctuary. Did you know I provide iatromantic healing sessions ie incubation? Learn more about my Services here: https://www.theevillageapothecary.com/services.html

Back on the East Coast visiting family. Got to harvest some fresh grapes and elderberries from my Mother’s garden. I’m b...
09/11/2024

Back on the East Coast visiting family. Got to harvest some fresh grapes and elderberries from my Mother’s garden. I’m brewing up a decoction right now, and will strain it and add honey for a syrup. I miss you Mom. I hope the gorgeous aromas swirled in the steam from this brew reach you, wherever you are. Thank you for this medicine 🙏❤️😔

08/03/2024

Intentional land management by the indigenous peoples of this land. ❤️

"Reciprocity: Northwest tribes manage land by putting First Foods first"

Organic Oregon Oregano. Try saying that 10 times fast! Spiced up my afternoon with a beautiful oregano harvest from the ...
07/02/2024

Organic Oregon Oregano. Try saying that 10 times fast! Spiced up my afternoon with a beautiful oregano harvest from the garden.

My homegrown version of Gather Victoria's "Summer Solstice Black Balsam." If you're making it too, share your recipe in ...
06/22/2024

My homegrown version of Gather Victoria's "Summer Solstice Black Balsam." If you're making it too, share your recipe in the comments below! Here's where you can find Gather Victoria's recipe and beautiful background info: https://gathervictoria.com/2023/06/20/summer-solstice-black-balsam/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0FbuTAKzY447Mj4YkERKH8gy8pPcjNPCgMg1xt9B7PRxjFQsnlJJ4pdq4_aem_5EC7cUHaDaA859QX9SAXqg

My recipe:
1 cup packed fresh St. John's wort flower tops
1 cup packed fresh organic rose petals from my Midnight Blue and Wedding Cake pink roses (be sure your roses are organic! Roses are highly sprayed if not organic and not safe to consume)
1 cup loosely packed fresh homegrown raspberries
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh homegrown jasmine flowers (these will be the bitters in the recipe. I'm hoping the fragrance will infuse, too)
about 9 fresh homegrown California poppy flowers
a few sprigs fresh homegrown Chamomile
a few sprigs fresh homegrown Spearmint
a few sprigs fresh homegrown Lemon balm
a few sprigs fresh homegrown Lemon Verbena
3 fresh Evening Primrose flowers that opened under the full moon last night
1 tablespoon dried organic Sweet Cinnamon Chips (C. verum)
1 tablespoon dried ground Vanilla beans
16 oz organic Grape neutral spirits (95% alcohol)
24 oz filtered spring water
8 oz Greek thyme honey

Normally I chop all my herbs finely before macerating* them in liquid, but I intuitively left them whole this time. I don't know why, it just felt right😆. I added all the plant material into a half-gallon mason jar. I blended all the liquids including the honey before pouring it over the herbs in the jar. I gave the jar a good shake. After a few moments, I noticed that some of the plant material was poking up above the liquid (shown in the pics). Since this can cause spoilage, I used a fermenting weight (this one is from Masontops) to help keep the plant material in the liquid. Also, because we are having a heat wave right now, I am macerating this in the fridge for a week instead of in the sun for a few days as the original recipe states, as I'm concerned it will ferment with the honey in it. If you like fermented beverages, you could put yours in the sun to steep, but I would recommend using a piece of cheesecloth tied to the mouth of the jar instead of an airtight lid, as the jar could explode if it ferments intensely.

Once I strain it and taste it, I'll update this post below with tasting notes.

*Macerate: to soften or become softened by soaking in a liquid. -Google dictionary

Filtering and bottling lilac flower syrup this morning. 💜I was gifted a beautiful bunch of purple lilacs yesterday and d...
04/18/2024

Filtering and bottling lilac flower syrup this morning. 💜

I was gifted a beautiful bunch of purple lilacs yesterday and decided to make a syrup from them. I looked at several recipes online and noticed that they all said to either simmer or boil the flowers in a simple syrup, and that the color would come out brown so maybe add some blackberries or blueberries to make the color purple.

I know from my experience making warm enfleurage of roses that if you add the roses to warm oil, but not boiling or simmering, the fragrance transfers beautifully without destroying the delicate petals.

So I took that knowledge and applied to making this syrup. I was able to create a deliciously delicate lilac flavored syrup and maintain the gorgeous natural purple tint from the flowers. Here's the recipe if you want to try it:

* 2 cups white sugar
* 2 cups filtered water/spring water (you don't want chlorine in it)
* 4 cups loosely packed fresh picked purple lilac flowers - be sure to remove all little green bits and stem, as they can make the syrup bitter. Rinse the flowers gently in cold water to remove dust and pollen, and allow to drain.

Add the sugar and water to a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once the liquid is a clear syrup, take it off the heat and immediately add the lilac flowers. Gently fold them into the syrup and cover. Allow to steep for 4-8 hours, testing the flavor occasionally. This syrup was steeped for 5 hours. Once you've achieved the flavor you're hoping for, strain the flowers out of the syrup. To clarify the syrup and remove any tiny bits of plant material (which could cause spoilage), I am using a paper coffee filter fitted inside the green funnels in the picture. Store in a sealed bottle or jar, in the refrigerator. Should be good for a few weeks, if it lasts that long!

You can use this gorgeous flower syrup to made mimosas, lemonade, or add to cocktails. Enjoy! 💜

Sunshine and St John’s wort were made for each other! No filter. This tincture is made with fresh wildharvested Hypericu...
03/17/2024

Sunshine and St John’s wort were made for each other! No filter.

This tincture is made with fresh wildharvested Hypericum perforatum flowering tops and organic grape alcohol at a 1:2 w/v ratio. It’s available by the ounce or you can find it in my Rest & Relax tincture blend. https://www.theevillageapothecary.com/store/c10/Tinctures.html

(Pictured: a glass measuring cup with blood-red St John’s wort tincture, basking is late-Winter sunshine)

Thinking about tomato sprouts. Thinking about ancestors. Missing these two. My grandma Margaret (η νόνα μου Μαργαρίτα) a...
03/12/2024

Thinking about tomato sprouts. Thinking about ancestors. Missing these two. My grandma Margaret (η νόνα μου Μαργαρίτα) and grandpa Jerry (ο παππούς μου Γεράσιμος). He was a wonderful gardener and was so proud of his huge tomato. May their memories be eternal.

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Portland, OR

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

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